Digestion and nitrogen excretion by Holstein–Friesian cows in late lactation offered ryegrass-based pasture supplemented with fodder beet
G. C. Waghorn A B , N. Law A , M. Bryant A , D. Pacheco D and D. Dalley
C E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A DairyNZ Ltd, Private Bag 3221, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
B 6 Berkley Avenue, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand.
C DairyNZ Ltd, PO Box 85066, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
D AgResearch Grasslands, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
E Corresponding author. Email: dawn.dalley@dairynz.co.nz
Animal Production Science 59(7) 1261-1270 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN18018
Submitted: 8 January 2018 Accepted: 6 August 2018 Published: 20 September 2018
Abstract
Recent changes in New Zealand dairying have included incorporation of fodder beet (FB) into rations. The present trial explored the impact of substituting different proportions of ryegrass-based pasture with FB for cows fed ad libitum in late lactation. The objective was to measure effects of FB on intake, digestion and urinary nitrogen (N) excretion using 16 Holstein–Friesian cows with a permanent rumen fistula. Before the 9-day indoor measurement period, cows were adapted to feeding 0%, 20%, 40% or 60% FB (bulbs and tops) with medium quality ryegrass-based pasture (191 g CP and 517 g neutral detergent fibre (aNDF)/kg DM; DM digestibility 0.634) over 2 weeks. However, it became apparent that a diet of 60% FB was detrimental to cow health, with two cows developing acidosis. The allocation of FB was reduced and the actual intakes were 23% and 45% of DM intake during the trial. Feeding FB substantially reduced N intake and urinary N excretion. The lower level (23%) of FB resulted in greater DM digestibility, albeit with a small reduction in N and aNDF digestibility. However, the higher level (45%) of FB reduced N and aNDF digestibility by 7.1 and 12.1 percentage units respectively, relative to pasture. Daily creatinine excretion was lower than published measurements from cattle fed dry diets, and circadian variation in urinary N : creatinine ratios suggests a need for caution when attempting to predict daily urinary N excretion from spot samples.
Additional keywords: creatinine, dairy cattle, digestibility, urinary nitrogen.
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